March 12, 2021 Free Writes Going to the Forest I know a devotee who left his marriage because it had become unbearable and impossible to practice Krsna consciousness there. His wife committed adultery. She started drinking wine, eating fish and eggs and occasionally smoking marijuana. She also led the children away from a strict practice of […]

March 5, 2021 Free Writes The Brahmana Boy, Srngi, Curses Maharaja Pariksit Maharaja Pariksit was out touring the world when he became hungry and thirsty. He entered the hermitage of the mystic Samika Rsi and found him with his eyes closed, appearing in trance. The King asked the sage for some water to quench his […]

Free Writes Memories of Tom Hopkins Graham Schweig (Garuda dasa) has written a substantial obituary on Tom Hopkins and distributed it widely to the academic community. I may add a few anecdotes of my own relationship with Professor Hopkins. He taught religion at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. This college is close to ISKCON’s […]

Free Writes Vaccine Ravindra Svarupa’s secretary managed to get him and his wife Saudamani appointments to receive vaccine shots against COVID-19. This isn’t an easy thing to do. She had to spend hours on the computer before she got the appointment. Sraddha then volunteered to do it for Baladeva and me, who are both qualified […]

Free Writes Getting New Glasses Yesterday I picked up my new eyeglasses from the optometrist. The two young ladies who gave them to me applauded and cheered as they put them on me. It had been seven and a half weeks since I was without my normal-vision glasses. Baladeva said I was the only one […]

Free Writes Divorce I received another letter from a devotee who’s divorced. The premise of their marriage was that the nondevotee would become a devotee by the good example and preaching of the devotee—but it didn’t work out. Prabhupada tolerated divorce especially in the West, for it was so common; he continued to accept the […]

Free Writes Retirement I received a letter from a disciple inquiring about his gradual retirement from the musical profession. Many devotees are thinking about retirement as they grow older and consider their priorities. They should at some point consider cutting down their material needs and decrease their involvement with social media in order to increase […]

DEAR DEVOTEES: A MESSAGE FROM SATSVARUPA MAHARAJA. “I was very disappointed that our July gathering and then our December in-person Vyasa-puja was canceled. But I earnestly ask my disciples to order Kaleidoscope and Seeking New Land. The price is $10 for the former and $12 for the latter. Please be aware that Kaleidoscope and Seeking New Land: a Story  can be ordered […]